Possible summertime peril: Be aware

Bathing in warm sulfur spring water has been practiced for centuries for its potential health benefits, but a newly recognized cause for a sudden skin rash is exposure to this water. Unfortunately, it can cause a severe rash in some susceptible individuals.

This is especially true in allergic people who may tend to have dry skin or eczema.

Typically the rash appears suddenly about 24 hours after the water exposure. The rash is red with “punched out” ulcers and pits. The rash is caused by the acidic nature of the hydrogen sulfide, sulfate and sulfur that are in the water.

Many of the aquifers here in Florida are rich in these natural sulfur compounds.